calderdale music
Making music is inherently human: it connects us, has the ability to improve our
lives and brings people together. It also helps people to grow in self-esteem,
build essential skills and lead bright futures. It’s the reason we exist: to
help the young people, schools and communities of Calderdale to have access to –
and benefit from – life-enhancing music and arts opportunities. Calderdale Music
Trust was established in May 2015 having previously been part of the local
authority when it was known as Calderdale Music Service. In 2019, we took an
important step forward in our transformational journey. We made changes to our
structure and the way we operate, including the appointment of a new leadership
team who share a passion and vision for making a positive difference in the
communities we serve. Marking a new chapter, we have invested in our stunning
new flagship HQ in Halifax, that will make it easier to bring people together,
providing a community base for live performances, private lessons, a place to
gather, and much more. We also listened to feedback from our schools, parents
and our team resulting in our new name and brand identity: Calderdale Music.
There’s no final destination; we see this as an ongoing journey to keep doing
better and providing better services, which we’ll do by listening to the needs
of our learners, their guardians, schools and hub partners. Our ambition is to
create an inclusive, forward-looking service that puts people and their unique
musical learning adventures at the heart of everything we do. We currently work
with thousands of children, young people and adults, and this figure continues
to rise year on year. We take pride in our professional development (CPD)
offering to schools and our flexible, bespoke approach to teaching, working
around the curriculum to make music a fun and pleasurable experience for young
people. Our music leaders are among the best in the sector. We offer much more
than just music education, we provide support, performance opportunities and a
community for learners from all backgrounds to come together socially and share
a passion – or just try out something different. Although steeped in musical
history, and without doubt some of the finest brass bands in the world, we
believe Calderdale can do more to reflect and celebrate its musical and cultural
diversity. So as the lead organisation for Calderdale Music Hub, we’re working
with local schools, cultural organisations and community groups to bring
exciting opportunities and live performances to the doorsteps of Calderdale.
We’re here to shine a spotlight on the amazing talent, diversity and prospects
our region has to offer. Our vision for the future is to open life-long music
and arts education opportunities to all, providing a cultural heart for
Calderdale that unites, motivates and inspires people to live more creative
lives.
